Buttonhole-sewing machine



PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904.

C. A. DAHL; BUTTONHO LE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 24, 1902.

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PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904.

0. A. DAHL. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IILED DEC. 24, 1902.

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No. 749,721. PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904.

. c. A. DAHL. I BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1902.

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UNITED STATES A Patented January 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. DAHL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTONHOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-SEWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,721, dated January 19, 1904.

Application filed December 24, 1902. Serial No. 136,433. No modeLl '1'0 a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs A. DAHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston,

in the county of Sufiolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sewing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the class of machine shown in United States Letters Patent No. 714,284, dated November 25, 1902. That patent described a machine for making a stitch with a thread carried by an eye-pointed upper needle,the complemental device coacting with said needle being shown as a double-pointed looper. One important feature of the invention to be herein claimed resides in the employment with said needle of two independent loopers each carried by its own shaft and having separate actuating means to thereby enable each of said loopers in the formation of the stitch to enter the loop of needle-thread at alternate descents of said needle and at exactly the proper instant of time to insure the formation of stitches at high speed. Further, by the employment of the two loopers herein described it is possible to shorten the loop of needle-thread in the production of the stitch, the shortening of the loop obviating the abrasion of the thread in the eye of the needle. Herein instead of imparting greater lateral stroke to the needlebar for the production of barring-stitches provision has been made for imparting lateral movement to the work-clamp while barring stitches are being made, the longitudinal movement of the work-clamp at such time being suspended, or substantially so. The lever actuated by the right and left worms for effecting the stopping of the rotation of the work clamp has been provided with an arm, shown as provided with a dog that actuates a latch to effect the release of the rock-shaft of the stopping mechanism as the buttonhole is completed.

Figure 1 in front elevation shows a portion of a sewing-machine embodying the invention to be herein described. Fig. 2 is a sectional carried by the lever 6 detail in the line :0", Fig. 9, showing the springdetail'showing one means for adjusting the position of the needle for itsfirst stroke in pene- -trating the work in the production of a buttonhole. Fig. 3 shows the needle and two loopers as they will appear after the formation of the loop in the needle-thread and the ascent of the needle. Fig. 4 shows one of the loopers as yet holding the loop of needlethread, the work having been fed and the needle having descended through the first loop. Fig. 5 shows the needle yet down in its second descent, the looper that held the loop of needle-thread, Figs. 1 and 4, having retired from the previouslymade loop of needlethread, the other looper being in position to enter the second loop of needle-thread to be formed. Fig. 6 shows the same parts, the needle having'made its second ascent and the second looper having entered the second loop. Fig. 7 shows the material fed in the direction of the arrow thereon, Fig. 6, with the looper 0 yet holding the loop of needle-thread and with the needle as descending through the.

Fig.

of needle-thread. Fig. 8 shows a piece of fabric with some stitches made therein for forming one side of the buttonhole, the stitches being separated. Fig. 9 is an under side view I a n I a n of the machine shown 1n Flg. 1. Fig. 9 is a detail showing the latch pivoted on one of the bearings in side elevation. larged longitudinal section of the cam-face Fig. 9 is a sectional pressed pin bearing against one side of the lower member of the buttonhole-clamp. Fig. 10 is a section looking to the right of the dotted line (0, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a sectional detail chiefly to show the two loopers and their actuating means.

The base A, bed A hinged thereto at A, the standard or gooseneck A, the needle-bar gate C having a bearing-sleeve C, surrounding the needle-bar B having a needle E said needle-gate having connected with it a link, (see dotted lines,) shown as adjustably Fig. 9" is an en-' connected with a depending rockingarni C, sustained loosely on the needle-bar-actuating rock-shaft B said rocking arm having an arm a with which is connected the strap m the arm B fixed to said rock-shaft B and having at its free end a link B connected with a stud extended from a block B secured to the upper end of the needle-bar E the stud D, sustained by the gooseneck and occupying a position substantially parallel with the length of the buttonhole to 'be stitched, the carrier D pivoted on the stud D and surrounded loosely by the hub D of the lever 1), forming part of the work-clamp and having at its lower end the under member E thereof, and also having suitable bearings in which may slide the shank E of the upper member E of the work-clamp, kept normally closed by a spring E and adapted to be automatically lifted to release the work after the completion of a buttonhole by a lever E, having connected to its inner end a notched leg E the ball-shaped stud F, forming part of the under member of the work-clamp, said stud entering loosely a socket in a nut F surrounding a screw F*, that moves the workclamp longitudinally in one and then in the opposite direction while making stitches for the opposite sides of the buttonhole, the lever I), having the trippers g and g, the connected link 5 jointed to said lever, and the means actuated by said link for securing the rotation of said screw in one or the opposite direction and for restraining the rotation of said screw while barring is being done, the right and left worm 0, fast on the shaft A*, the spring-controlled pins 0 .6 carried by said lever and each engaging at times one of the grooves of said worm, the pivoted locking devices 23 and 24, coacting with said pins to release them at the proper times, the notched rock-shaft H sustained in bearings h, the spring [L7, surrounding said shaft, the arm H connected therewith, the belt-shipper A the notched leg E depending from the inner end of the clamp-opening lever E the outer end of which is shown in Fig. 1, the hub H carrying'above the bed an arm H, provided with a blade G for cutting the buttonhole, said hub having an arm provided with a projection E and bored at its end to embrace a stud H extended from a block surrounding a stud H extended inwardly from the shipper-lever, are

and may all be as fully described and referred to by like letters in said patent, and therefore need not be herein more fully described further than to say that the needle-bar-actuating rock-shaft will, herein derive its motion by means fully provided for in said patent and that the sokcalled saddle (marked 6') is slightly changed in shape and has directly connected with it the ball-shaped head of the link 5 the opposite head of said link, also of ball shape, being connected with the lever 6 The cam Z2 connected with this saddle, is the same as in said application andoperates as fully described therein. The buttonhole-cutting mechanism herein will be operated substantially by like means and at the time therein stated, the buttonhole being cut, preferably,

after having made the stitching for both sides thereof and while the last barring is being done. After the cutting of the buttonhole the upper member of the work-clamp will be automatically opened and the stitch-forming mechanism will be stopped.

The improvements to be herein claimed will now be described.

Referring to the drawings, a bearing-block 2 (see Fig. 9) is secured to the under side of the bed A by suitable screws. This block receivesrtwo rock-shafts 12, 0, one shown by dotted lines, and each rock-shaft has connected with it a looper, as n 0, the points of the loopers being shown as directed one toward the other. Each rock shaft at a distance from the looper has an arm, as n 0 that has jointed to it a link n 0 and each arm is connected by a stud-screw n 0 with levers n 0' (shown best in Figs. 10 and 11) and pivoted,

respectively, at 7'0 0 said levers deriving their movement in the proper time and order by suitable cams n 0 on the shaft A. The front end of the shaft A is provided with a slotted disk a corresponding substantially with the disk shown in said patent and designated by like letter.

Viewing Fig. 3, 'it will be assumed that the needle E has descended through the material at a point back of what is to be the edge of the buttonhole, as at 10, (see Fig. 8,) and that said needle has risen and that the looper 11. has engaged the first loop of needle-thread. After this the work-clamp is moved longitudinally fora distance to provide for the proper length of stitch and the needle-gate is moved laterally to put the needle in position to descend at a distance therefrom, as at 12, to provide for the desired length of depth stitch, and in this position the needle will again descend, as shown in Fig. 4:, said needle penetrating the work w and entering the first loop of needle-thread made, the same being yet held by the looper n. The needle having entered the first loop of needle-thread, (see Fig. 4,) the looper n backs out of the loop and the looper 0' enters the second loop of needlethread (see Fig. 5) and the needle is raised, as shown in Fig. 6, from the previously-released loop, and the needle-thread by the ascent of the needle draws the loop, released from the looper a about the loop of thread held by the looper 0 and sets the stitch. This done, the work-clamp will be moved another step longitudinally and the needle-bar will be again moved laterally, so that at its next descent it will penetrate, the work at 13, Figs. 7 and 8. Thile the work-clamp is being moved longitudinally and the needle is being moved in the direction of the arrow,

Figs. 7 and 8, to penetrate the work at 13, the looper 0 in the second loop of needlethread holds that loop until the needle in its descent passes through the loop of thread held by the looper 0, as shown in Fig. 7, and immediately thereafter the looper n is moved to enter the loop of needle-thread (see Fig. 8) at a point below the previous loop of needle thread through which the needle descended and in which it yet remains. From this point the stitching will be a repetition of that described. It will be noticed that by employing the two oscillating loopers and actuating them independently in a vertical plane at right angles to the length of the buttonhole it is possible to make the loopers very small to locate them close to the under side of the bed, thus requiring the formation of a loop of the shortest possible length, and the shorter the loop the less the friction of the thread in the eye of the needle and in the goods in the formation of the stitch. A series of stitches will be formed, say, as represented in Fig. 8*, of a length sufficient for one side or edge of a buttonhole, and then barringstitches will be made, as will be described, to impart a lateral movement to the work-clamp for, say, five descents of the needle, and thereafter the position of the work-clamp will be shifted laterally, as usual, so that as the work-clamp is again moved longitudinally but in an oppositedirection through the screw and the parts controlling it the needle in its lateral movement will penetrate the work for a series of stitches suitable for the opposite side of the buttonhole.

The employment of two independent loopers each having its own actuating means is considered broadly new, and hence this invendepth stitch, a screw-driver may be inserted in the screw 14:, (see Fig. 1,) the latter being carried by a projection from the link C, said projection entering the groove in the depend ing arm C", the inner end of said screw acting as a clamp to hold the projection in its adjusted position.

Instead of imparting a longer lateral stroke to the needle-bar for barring, as in the machine shown in said patent, the lever Z) has been provided with a cam-block of segmental shape, 15, (see dotted lines, Fig. 9, and full lines, Fig. 9,) provided with a cam-face, having, as shown, a plurality of depressions, as 17 18 19, and with a plurality of high points 20 21 22. As herein shown, the depressions and elevations are three in number, and the cam 6 common to said patent, also has, it will be remembered, three different faces. The under side of the bed A. sustains a stud screw 26, that is embraced by the hub of a lever 27, provided with a roller-stud 28, that is adapted to be acted upon in succession by the high parts of the cam-face described as the lever I) is moved in one and then in the opposite direction, said cam-face resting between one and the succeeding movement of said lever in the same direction for a period of time sufiicient'to enable one side of the buttonhole to be overstitched. This cam-face acts only during the barring of the buttonhole and after the longitudinal movement of the holder has been arrested. The free end of the lever has a roller-stud 30, that is carried by an arm 31, pivoted at 32 on said lever, the arm being slotted to receive a screw 33 to provide for the necessary adjustment. The under side of the bed is also provided with an eccentric block 34, held in adjusted position by a suitable screw 35. This eccentric is so adjusted that it will stop the lever in its movement in the direction of the arrow on it in Fig. 9 at apoint just before the rollerstud 28 bottoms in the depressions 17 in the cam-face, and this eccentric may be adjusted to provide for the production of a longer or shorter bar.

Referring to Fig. 10, showing the lower end of the lever D carrying the lower mem ber E of the work-holder, it will be seen that said lever has two projections 40 11. These projections are planed accurately, and the projection 10 is acted upon by a bolt 12, contained in a casing 43, connected with the under side of thebed by suitable screws, said casing containing a spring 13", that acts normally to keep the free end of the bolt against said projection. The opposite projection 11- is kept pressed constantly against the roller 30 of the lever 27, said spring-pressed lever and the cam for moving it constituting what will be hereinafter designated as means for insuring the proper amount of lateral throw to the work-holder for barring and the means for regulating the lateral throw of the clamp for barring also efiects the positioning of the work-clamp to insure the formation of depth stitches in two different parallel lines to constitute both sides of the buttonhole.

Referring to Fig. 9 the roller-stud occupies a position in the depression 17, and while said stud is in that position it will be supposed that the stitching mechanism is making stitches to constitute one side of the buttonhole and that both pins (2 e are disengaged from the grooves of the right and left worm and that the screw E is being rotated in the direction to move the nut E in the direction of the arrow thereon. In the patent referred to the two trippers g and g were adjustably connected with the nut E but herein said projections are fixed in position by the screws 1 1, and when in the movement of the nut in the direction stated the projection g meets the rotatable lengthgage M, mounted to turn about a stud 16, erectedon the end of the locking device 24.,

said projection meets, say, the arm marked Z and turns said device 24 so that it releases the pin 6 permitting it to engage the portion of the worm e as provided for in said patent, and immediately the lever b is started in motion and the projection 20 rides over the roller-stud 28 of the lever 27, and the lever is moved in the direction opposite the arrow, Fig. 9, causing the roller 30 at the end of said lever to push the lower end of the clamp laterally, so as to make a barring stitch of the proper length, the length of stitch being preferably twice the length of the depth-stitch and a little more. Then in the further movement of the lever I) to the left, Figs. 9 and 9 the rollerstud enters the second notch 18, which permits the clamp to be moved in the opposite direction by the spring 43 in the casing to position the work so that the needle may make a second descent in the formation of the depthstitches, and in the further movement of the lever b to the left the second projection 21 acts to again shift the work-clamp laterally against the action of the spring 43, and the movement of the lever b continues until the roller 28 enters the third space 19 and also rides onto the third projection 22. which projection moves the cloth-clamp in a direction and for a distance to put the work-clamp into such position that the needle to penetrate the work at its next descent will penetrate the work in proper position to make the first stitch to constitute the stitching of the second side of the buttonhole. To do this, it will be understood that the third projection is suificiently high to move the work-clamp far enough laterally to provide for making the second row of depth-stitches at the desired distance from the first row. During the barring the screw F is left at rest, and as soon as the roller-stud 28 has arrived on the third projection 22 the lever completes it farthest movement to the left and through the link 6 so changes the position of the saddle b as to reverse the movement of the mechanism for actuating the screw, so that thereafter the screw is turned in an opposite direction, which causes the nut and work-clamp to be fed in the opposite direction to that in which it was fed while stitching the first side of the buttonhole. During this movement of the nut F to the right viewing Fig. 9, while the stitching of the second side of the buttonhole is being done after the completion of the barring of one end thereof the lever Z2 occupies the position in which it was left at the completion of the first bar, and when the second side of the buttonhole has been stitched for the desired length the projection g, depending from the nut, meets the device 23 and moves it, so that the pin 6 immediately enters the groove of the worm e, which will immediately start the movement of the lever Z) and bring it into its full-line position, Fig. 9, and during this movement the depressions and high points of the cam will act in the reverse order described.

The length controlling device M, herein shown as carried by the tripper 24, has a series of arms, each one being of a length to correspond with a particular length of buttonhole desired, and it will be noticed that the ends of these arms occupy a position in the line of a scroll, and it will be understood that instead of providing the device with a series of arms it would work just as well if of a scroll shape, it being suitably marked with numbers to designate exactly the length of buttonhole desired.

Herein the lever b is provided near its fulcrum with an arm 50, having, as shown, at one end a notched dog 51, that is normally pressed outwardly beyond the end of said arm by a spring 52. The dog has a screw 53 extended through a slot in the arm, and the screw prevents the escape of the dog from the arm under the action of the spring 52.

One of the bearings h is provided with a hole to receive a screw 54, on which is mounted a latch 55. (Shown also in Fig. 9?) This latch is acted upon at one end by a spring 56, that acts normally to cause the latch to enter a notch 57 in the rock-shaft The latch has a cam portion 58, (see Fig. 9,) against which the end of the dog 51 strikes as the lever 6 is being moved by the worm e described for barring the first end of a buttonhole, and during said movement the dog is pushed back into the arm against the spring 52, and consequently the rock-shaft H is maintained in the position Fig. 9 to insure the action of the stitch-forming mechanism in the formation of the buttonhole. When, however, the last side of the second side of the buttonhole has been stitched and about as the next to the last stitch of the second barring is being done, the shoulder of the dog 51 meets the latch and turns it to release the shaft H so that it may be moved longitudinally, as fully provided for in said patent, to not only permit the notched part of the leg E held normally in its inoperative position by the arm H, to come into position to be struck by the projection E connected to the backwardly-extended arm of the cutter-carrier,and also to permit the shipper-lever A under the action of the spring k to be moved and place the projection thereon, fully described in said application, in line with the cam 40, common to said patent, that said cam in the last rotation of the shaft A of the stitch forming mechanism in the formation of the last stitch of the buttonhole may lift the lever h sufficiently against the spring shown in said patent to cause the projection E referred to to engage the leg E and as the cam 40 in the last rotation of the shaft A passes the projection of the shipper the latter is depressed by a spring shown and fully described in said IIO patent, so that the projection E through the leg E lifts the upper member of the workclamp, so as to release the material. The upward movement of the lever it", due to the cam 40, causes the cutter-lever to be moved, so that the cutter is made to cut the buttonhole, all as provided for in said patent.

he lever m, actuated by the cam m and moving the needle-bargate laterally, has a headed stud 44:, surrounded by an eccentric 4C5, shaped at its outer end (see Fig. 1) to'be turned by a wrench. By turning this eccentric about the stud in the hole in the end of the strap on it is possible to adjust the position of the needle with relation to the work holder or clamp with the greatest of accuracy.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a workholder, a screw to move said holder, means to rotate said screw in one and then in an opposite direction, and means to move the workholder laterally for the production of barringstitches. a

2. Inabuttonhole-stitching machine, a needle-bar having a thread-carrying needle, a work-holder, means for reciprocating and laterally vibrating said needle-bar, two oscillating loopers, means to move the same in avertical plane at right angles to the length of the buttonhole that said loopers may enter alternately loops of thread at the side ofsaid needle, each looper as it retires from a loop of needle-thread holding and spreading the same for the entrance of the needle at its nextdescent, a work-holder, means to move it longitudinally while stitching one side of the buttonhole, independent means for moving the work-holder laterally for a plurality of strokes while barring-stitches are being made, said means leaving the work-holder in position at the end of said lateral movement to be again moved longitudinally in a path however to enable the material to receive overedgeetitches for the opposite side of the button- 10 e.

3. A buttonhole-stitching machine comprising a needle-bar and needle, two independent oscillating loopers, a work-holder, a screw, means to actuate said screw to move the workholder longitudinally in opposite directions, means to move the holder laterally for a plurality of times between the completion of the stitches forming one side of the buttonhole and the commencement of the stitches for forming the other side thereof, that the buttonhole may be barred.

4. 1n abuttonhole-stitching machine, stitchforming mechanism to make a series of stitches for the production of the opposite edges of a buttonhole, a work-holder, means to move the same longitudinally while stitching the side edges of the buttonhole, a spring-controlled device acting normally to move said workholder in a direction at right angles to the length of the buttonhole, a cam having a series of high points and depressions, means to move said cam after the completion of the stitching of one side of a buttonhole, and means intermediate said cam and Work holder and moved by said cam to move the work-holder in opposition to said spring-controlled device while making a series of longer stitches for barring the buttonhole.

5. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, a workholder, a needle-bar having a needle, means to move said needle-bar and needle both vertically and laterally, two oscillatingloopers, and actuating means therefor, said loopers having their points facing and moving in a vertical circular path substantially parallel to the path of movement of the needle in its lateral stroke, said loopers acting alternately to engage the loops of needle-thread in the line of the depth and the edge stitches, each looper holding the loop of needle-thread entered by it until the needle at a subsequent descent enters said loop.

6. In a buttonhole-stitching machine, stitchforming mechanism to form a series of overedge-stitches, a work-holder, a screw to move said work-holder, means to rotate said screw in one and then in an opposite direction to move the work-holder in the direction of the length of the buttonhole, means to stop the rotation of said screw at the end of each longitudinal movement of the work-holder, means to move the work-holder to and fro laterally for a plurality of times when the said screw is at rest while barring-stitches are being made, and

means to shift the position of the work-clamp laterally that after the barring-stitches have been completed the work-holder in its return movement will present the work to the stitchforming mechanism to make stitches for the opposite side of the buttonhole.

7. A work-holder having at its sides near its a lower end parallel walls 40, 41, a spring-c011 trolled device bearing against one of said walls, a lever bearing at one end against the other of said walls and having a projection, combined with a block having a plurality of high points and depressions to act successively on the projection of said lever to move it and the work-holder in opposition to the action of said spring controlled device for a plurality of times, said block being then stopped and holding said lever in position to act asaguide for the work-holder as the latter is moved longitudinally.

8. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, a needle-bar, means to actuate it, complemental means coacting therewith for making a series of overedge-stitches, a work-holder pivoted above the needle-bar, a connection jointed to the lower end of the work-holder, means to move said connection and the work-holder longitudinally in one and then in the opposite direction to present the work to the needle while making stitches for one and then for the IIO IO tonhole, to enable a plurality of barringstiltches to be made at each end of the buttonho e.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES A. DAHL.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, NATHAN HEARD. 

